Baltic knighthoods
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Baltic Noble Corporations of
. The territories continued to have semi-autonomous status from 16th to early 20th century under Swedish and Russian rule.The four knighthoods are united in the Verband der Baltischen Ritterschaften.
History
The Teutonic Knights entered the area of what is now Latvia and Estonia in the beginning of the 13th century in order to Christianize the region. After the conquest much of the Order's land was divided among the German noble families originally from
With the growth of Russian power following the defeat of Sweden in the
The growth of
The four knighthoods
Estonian Knighthood
The earliest written reference of the Estonian Knighthood (Estländische Ritterschaft) dates from 1252. Its origins date back to the time of Danish rule, when two northern Estonian provinces of
: Wierland) were allied together. The process of the development of the corporation into a political entity was completed by the end of the Rule of the Teutonic Order in 1561, resulting in the control of the region and its peasant population, although excluding the cities.Livonian Knighthood
Oesel Knighthood
The island of Oesel or Ösel (
The island and its noble corporation were subordinated to the Kings of Denmark from 1560 to 1645, to the Swedish Crown from 1645 to 1713, and the Russian Tsar between 1713 and 1917. In 1920 the newly independent
Courland Knighthood
See also
- Bishopric of Reval
- Swedish Estonia
- Kingdom of Livonia
- List of Estonian rulers
- Livonia
- Swedish Livonia
- United Baltic Duchy
References
Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 797.
.- Esthonia at the 1907 Nuttall Encyclopædiaof General Knowledge
- Baltische Ritterschaften: Livland. Estland. Kurland. Œsel.